It would be awesome if there was half a tennis ball in one of the barrels or something like that, or, 6th gear was missing....if its something boring like the rear sprocket is worn i dont wanna know!!
why would someone put half a tennis ball in it?? ........... but seriously, so it needs a lot to get it in proper shape then? servicing, chain & sprockets, new tyres etc? .... maybe that's why there are just three crappy pictures of a bike he's expecting 15K for...... or was it dropped on it's right hand side which is why there's no pics of the right?
Read in PB years ago the stories of second hand bikes....some bloke bought a twin and noticed the power was down on one cylinder and there was half a tennis ball in there...made me laugh....i think there was another one where someone had made some internal engine parts out of wood....
consumables wouldn't worry me but gearbox issues would. Funnily enough the previous owner is actually someone I've met too Plus when someone's opening line is Dont buy it and their story matches the sellers in some details u just know it's not for me.
So in summary, 15k (so high end money) for a hike that has an inflexible seller, with missing history and potentially internet knowledge suggests mechanical issues. Think that answers the OP question: How come this has been around for ages?
Playing devils advocate - lets say its got "x" problem. You tell the seller you know that its got "x" problem and barter round that, if he thinks youre non the wiser then he'll still go for top dollar. Its an R so its never going to loose value, assuming you could negotiate the price down...
The seller may be more likely to hold out to catch an unaware buyer, it certainly sounds like he knows about the issue but isn't making it common knowledge. The previous owner of my bike had a NOVA gearbox installed as 3rd gear had become notchy. A £3k kick in the stones for him :Wideyed: but a bonus for me.
Yip - probably just me but if for example i knew it was fact that the top end needed replacing, and i wanted an R and, knowing that theyre in shorter and shorter supply then id go in sharing that with him and working the price down...if he still didnt drop the price then so be it it stays up for sale but, (and this is me speaking personally) id never let anything leave my ownership that wasnt in good working order...i have seen people on here say "well, its got this that and the other problem....ill move it on so its not my problem..." which i think is pretty shocking tbh.
Too many do. Hence I still have a triumph I managed 3 laps on until it blew up...engine was full of gravel...but bodywork looks pristine in its newly freshed paint :Banghead:
But on the plus side, it will have a fully rebuild engine when I sell it in the spring for someone else to enjoy (after I have spent 2k getting it done!)
Don't forget, many buyers want a "super finish rumbled gearbox" Rendering all the other 1098R's worthless.
